Ligularia Plant Named &#39;Little Golden Ray&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Ligularia dentata  plant named ‘Little Golden Ray’ that is characterized by its compact plant habit with a short plant height, its foliage that is shiny and compact in size, and its small flowers.

Botanical classification: Ligularia dentata.

Cultivar designation: ‘Little Golden Ray’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ligularia dentata and is hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Little Golden Ray’. The Inventor discovered the new cultivar in August of 2016 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of Ligularia dentata ‘Osiris Fantaisie’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,302) in a production field in HIllegom, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by tissue culture using meristematic tissue under direction of the Inventor in August of 2017 in Rijswijk, The Netherlands. Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division and tissue culture has shown that the unique features are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Little Golden Ray’ as a new and unique cultivar of Ligularia.

1. ‘Little Golden Ray’ exhibits a compact plant habit with a short plant height.

2. ‘Little Golden Ray’ exhibits foliage that is shiny and compact in size.

3. ‘Little Golden Ray’ exhibits small flowers.

‘Little Golden Ray’ can be mostly closely compared to its parent plant ‘Osiris Fantaisie’. ‘Osiris Fantaisie’ is similar to ‘Little Golden Ray’ in foliage coloration. ‘Osiris Fantaisie’ differs from ‘Little Golden Ray’ in having a much shorter plant height and in having larger leaves. ‘Little Golden Ray’ can also be compared to the Ligularia cultivars ‘Osiris Café Noir’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,351) and ‘Othello’ (not patented). ‘Osiris Café Noir’ is similar to ‘Little Golden Ray’ in having foliage that is similar in shape. ‘Osiris Café Noir’ differs from ‘Little Golden Ray’ in having foliage that emerges dark purple-black in color and in having flowers that are smaller in diameter. ‘Othello’ is similar to ‘Little Golden Ray’ in having similar flowers. ‘Othello’ differs from ‘Little Golden Ray’ in having a less compact plant habit, a much taller plant height, and foliage that is primarily green in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Ligularia. The photographs in the figures were taken of a 24-month-old plant that was field grown in Hillegom, The Netherlands and placed in a 29-cm container for the photographs.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Little Golden Ray’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘Little Golden Ray’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Little Golden Ray’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Ligularia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 24-month-old plants of ‘Little Golden Ray’ that were field grown in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with the 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming habit.—Blooms from July to September in The             Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Clump-forming, compact and dwarf.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches 45 to 50 cm in height and about             50 cm in spread as a mature plant in the landscape.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zone 3.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Branching habit.—Basal stems, no lateral branches.         -   Propagation.—Tissue culture and division.         -   Root development.—An average of 6 to 8 weeks to root in a             plug in tissue culture, and about 3 to 4 months to produce a             young plant from a tissue culture plug.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description (flowering stems):     -   -   Stem shape.—Rounded and slightly angled.         -   Stem color.—146B and strongly tinged with N199A.         -   Stem size.—An average of 32.7 cm in length, 7 mm in             diameter.         -   Stem strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Stem aspect.—Primary branches grow in an average angle of 5°             to vertical stems (0°=vertical).         -   Stem surface.—Moderately pubescent with silky hairs an             average of 1 mm in length and 161D in color.         -   Stem number.—Average of 16 basal branches.         -   Internode length.—Average of 145 cm in length.         -   Branching.—Main flowering stem grows from base. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Reniform and moderately carinate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Hastate; lobes free to touching on basal leaves,             lobes free on cauline leaves.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Laciniate, color on upper surface 178B, color             on lower surface 177B.         -   Leaf margins.—Coarsely dentate and strongly undulate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf surface.—(Both surfaces) smooth and glabrous and             sparsely to moderately covered with very short hairs on             veins; 0.5 mm in length and too fine to measure color.         -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper surface; 137B, mature leaves             lower surface; slightly darker than 148A, mature leaves             upper surface; NN137A, mature leaves lower surface; 200B and             slightly tinged with 187B.         -   Leaf size.—Basal leaves; an average of 9.2 cm in length and             10.4 cm in width, cauline leaves; an average of 6.3 cm in             length and 7.3 cm in width .         -   Leaf quantity.—Basal leaves continuously produced, an             average of 3 cauline leaves per stem.         -   Petioles.—Oval in shape and sheathed at base on cauline             leaves, basal leaves an average of 22.7 cm in length and 5             mm in width, cauline leaves an average of 14.6 cm in length             and 3.5 mm in width with sheath; 5 cm in length and 12 cm in             width, 146A to 146B in color, color of upper surface a color             between surface is sparsely covered with short silky hairs;             average 1 mm in length and 161D in color. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal and axillary capitulum             consisting of ray florets around disk florets.         -   Capitulum number.—An average of 12 per flowering stem, 200             per plant.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—An average of 2 weeks until             senescence of ray florets, disk flowers are persistent,             terminal capitulum opens prior to axillary capitulum.         -   Capitulum size.—An average of 2.1 cm in depth and 4.3 cm in             diameter, disk is an average of 1.5 cm in diameter.         -   Capitulum angle.—Terminal straight on top of main peduncle,             axillary capitulum an average angle of 30° to main peduncle.         -   Receptacle.—Inverted triangular in shape, average of 3 mm in             height and diameter, 145D in color.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Phyllaries.—An average of 12 arranged in a single row to             form a campanulate involucre, average of 1.1 cm in length             and 2 mm in width, fused at base with upper 18% free, acute             apex, narrow oblong in shape, fused, shape, color upper             surface 146B with tip 200A, color lower surface a color             between 146A and 148A but darker, tip and base tinged 183A,             entire margin, surface upper surface glabrous and smooth and             lower surface sparsely covered with short silky hairs;             average of 1 mm in length and 161D in color.         -   Flower buds.—Broad ovate in shape, average of 1 cm in             diameter and 1.3 cm in depth, 200C in color and tinged 178A             with immature ray florets 14A.         -   Peduncle.—Branched, main peduncle; average of 7 cm in length             (above last leaf) and 3 mm in width and held straight from             stem, axillary peduncles; and an average of 2.7 cm in length             and 3 mm in width and held at an average angle of 45° to             stem, strong, 183A in color, surface sparsely covered with             short silky hairs; average of 5 mm in length and 161D in             color.         -   Pedicels.—None.         -   Ray florets (sterile).—Average of 12, tubular with lower 20%             fused, oblanceolate in shape, vertical ridges on both             surfaces, average of 25 cm in length and 35 mm in width,             emarginated apex, narrow cuneate base, entire margin except             apex, upper surface glabrous, matte and moderately velvety             and slightly carinate, lower surface glabrous and slightly             glossy and slightly carinate, initially held nearly vertical             and become horizontal with tips reflexed as they mature,             color of upper surface when opening and mature; 21A with             tubular base 150D, color of lower surface when opening and             mature; 21A and fading to 17C near base with tubular base             150D, pappus ring at base on top of ovary with hairs about 7             mm in length and 183C in color.         -   Disk flowers (bisexual).—Average of 60, tubular in shape,             arranged spirally on receptacle, margin entire, base fused,             apex acute, average of 2 cm in length and 4 mm in width,             color when opening upper and lower surface; 16B and 166B at             apex and 145D at base, color when fully open upper and lower             surface; 18A and 150D at base, surface glabrous and matte on             both surfaces, pappus ring at base on top of ovary with             hairs about 7 mm in length and 183C in color, no spines. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, average of 1.3 cm in length, style;             1.1 cm in length, 145D in color, stigma; decurrent, 17B in             color, ovary; 157D in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, un-fused, coherent in cylinder             around style, anthers; linear in shape, average of 4 mm in             length, basifixed, 11A in color, filaments; 4 mm in length,             157D in color, pollen; moderate in quantity and 17C in             color.         -   Fruit/seed.—No seeds observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct of Ligularia plant named ‘Little Golden Ray’ as herein illustrated and described. 